The union is holding a seminar in Parliament on Thursday 6 March to build momentum, develop alliances and identify next steps in the campaign for a minister-led commission to increase the proportion of women working in STEM from 13 to 30 per cent by 2020.
The seminar, hosted by Meg Munn MP, will include short contributions from a panel including:
- Dame Julia Slingo, chief scientist at the Met Office
- Professor Dame Athene Donald, professor of experimental physics at the University of Cambridge
- Liam Byrne MP, shadow minister for higher education and science; and
- Sue Ferns, director of communications and research at Prospect.
Julia Slingo and Athene Donald will reflect on their own scientific careers. Sue Ferns will launch the results of a new Prospect poll asking members ‘If you could persuade your employer to make one change at work, what would it be?’
Sue Ferns said: “As the union for scientists and engineers across the public and private sectors, Prospect has sound knowledge of the problems – and the solutions. Ministers will need to engage with a wide range of experienced stakeholders if they want to turn good intentions into practical solutions.”
Prospect campaign work includes:
- A charter for women in STEM – bit.ly/stem-charter
- A 2014 calendar featuring women in male-dominated industries – bit.ly/inspire_stem
- A ‘Pledge’ that Prospect members are asking their elected representatives to sign up to – bit.ly/STEM_pledge
The seminar will be held in the Grimond Room at Portcullis House from 10.00-11.30am, with registration and networking from 9.30am.